Buttonhole attachment for sewing-machines.



J. JBSSEN. BUTTONHOLB ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV 28, 1911- I A Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Patented Nov. 3, 191 1 APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1911.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1911- Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28', 1911- 1,1 16,072. Patented Nov. 3,1914.

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BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED RO -V. 28, 1911- Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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APPLIOATIOH FILED NOV. 28, 1911.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1911- 1 1 1 6 072 Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLIOATIOH IILED NOV. 28, 1911- v 1 ,1 1 6,072. Patented Nov. 3, 1914b B'SHEETS-SHEET 8;

MOT/r5553 JAMES. JESSE/ 5 out in the claims.

shuns inseam, or MINNEAPOLIS,

iuNNEsoTA, nssmnon To '1). a n. BnTTo-mn om Jason-nu: COMPANY, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, 4. GORPORATIONjOE-JIIRNE- SOTA.

BUTToNnoLE ATTACHMENT FOR snwiivc-macnmns.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES J ESSEN, a citizen of the United States, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttonhole Attachments for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a button-hole attachment similar in design to the device shown and described in Letters Patentof the United States, No. 993,070, issued to me May 23, 1911.

A further object is to improve the construction of the attachment shown and described in said patent to the end that the mechanism will be more easily manufactured and more durable and efficient for the purpose designed.

To this end my invention consists in adapting the driving means with respect to the driven cooperating means so that it will automatically adapt itself to different needle bar strokes and provide for the attachment of the device to any style of sewing machine. Further the invention consists in various constructions and'combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed In. the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a bottom view of a button-hole machine embodying my invention, Fig. 1 is an edge view of the device for determining the proper length of the button-hole, Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line w-x of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line y y of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a bottom View with the clamp plates removed, Fig. 5 is a detail view of the clamp and shifter plates, Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing the means for putting the goods under tension in the clamp plates, Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line zz of Fig. 2, Fig. 8 is a front view of the reciprocating plate through which the mechanism is driven, Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view on the line b?) of Fig. 8, Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view on the line aa of Fig. 4, Fig. 11 is an end view, looking toward the clamp plates, Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view showing the improved means for oscillating the clamp Dlates to form the bight of the stitches, Fig. 13 is a bottom View with the clamp, feed and shifter plates removed, showing the means for increasingor decreasing the bight Specification of Letters mm.

Application filed November 28, 1911. 842113130. 882,948.

plate 7 is interposed between be moved to describe of the stitches, trip mechanism or theimproved means for reversing the-feed screw, Fig. 15 is-a detail PatentedNov. 3, 1914.

Fig. 14 is a detail view of the bot-tom view, illustrating the feeder plate gu1des,"Fig. 15* line N-N fied form bar pin.

In the drawings, 2 represents the base or frame, in which a portion of the operating mechanlsm is mounted. A bracket 3 is mounted integrally on this base and has bearin for a rock shaft 4. One end of this rock s aft is provided with an arm 5 that 1s adapted to engage a vibrating needle bar, (not shown). The rock shaft is arranged ma substantially horizontal position and at is a sectional view on the of F g. 15, Fig. 16 shows a modi of drive connection to the needle the opposite end from the arm 5 is provided with a rocker 6 arranged in a vertical plane and havlng a rocking movement with the operation of the needle bar. A stationary and the end face of the bracket a series of lugs 9. These lugs project horizontally into the path of the rocker 6 sothat when the rocker is operated the plate 8 will a rectangular path, substantially as shown and described in my patent above referred to. The plate 8 also has a lug 12 which'projects into a recess 13 formed in the plate 7, the outline of this recess correspondingly substantially to the path described by the plate 8 in the operation of the rocker, and in the center of this recess a pin 14 is provided, which prevents the lug 12 frombecoming centered in the recess and the plate 8 from becoming centeredwith respect to the rocker. (See Fig. 7). This recess and pin are provided merely as asafeguard and do not affect the movementof the reciprocat-in plate.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the arms of the rocker do not contact squarely the full length of the stroke with the faces of the lugs or the plate 8, but are positioned to slide by the edges of the lugs at the end of the movement of the plate 8, in case the stroke of the needle bar is. longer than what would be sufiicient to move the plate the full distance and thereby adapt the attachment to needle bars of difierent stroke. This arrangement permits the attachment of the device to any style of sewing machine and machines varying in the length of the stroke of the needle bars.

the rocker 6 3 and on the other side of the rocker is a plate 8 having A plate 15 is mounted on the plate 8 and has inwardly turned flanges 16 overlapping the plate 8 and vertically movable-therewith. (See Figs. 7 and 8). A spring 19 is mounted on the cover 11 and exerts a yielding pressure on the plate 15 and a plate 20 is interposed between the cover 11 and the plate 15 and has diagonal slots 21 therein to receive correspondingly arranged lugs 22 formed in the plate 15. f The sides of the stationary plate 7, (see Figs. 8, 9 and 12) project outwardly and are cut away to form slots 24 and 2 5, and the plate 15 is provided with shoulders 17 projecting into the slots 25 which limit the vertical movement of the plate 15 while the side flanges 7 guide it horizontally.

The plate- 20 is provided with a flange 20' that projects into and is guided in the slots 24. A horizontal extension of this flange carries a downwardly projecting lug or pin 26.

The lower end of the plate 8 has a series, preferably three, of horizontally projecting lugs 27 which are adapted to extend between the pins 28 of a feed wheel 29 having a hub 30 that is mounted on a shaft 31. This feed wheel and thelugs engaging the teeth or pins of the wheel are substantially the same as the ones shown and described in my patent above referred to, the lugs passing from one side of the feed wheel to the other, one lug moving from its position between the teeth on one side to an inoperative position and setting the other lug in an operative position between the teeth on the other side. This feature of the device, being fully illustrated and described in my former patent, needs no detailed description herein.

The hub 30 is secured to the shaft 31 by means of a pin 32, (see Fig. 2). The head of this pin is adapted to slide in a slot 33 provided in a screw 34 that is mounted on the shaft 31 between a plate 35 and a tongue 36 that is pressed or punched out of the plate 35. The plate 35 has a pivotal connection at 37 with the bracket 3 and the tongue 36 is upwardly turned and has one end projecting into a slot 38 in the plate 7, said slot being of sufficient len th to allow a limited lateral movement of the tongue 36 therein. This tongue 36 has a bearin for the hub 30 and the shaft 31 and moves ack and forth inits slot in the plate 7 to allow the shifting ofthe feed wheel for the purpose of changing the direction of revolution of the screw. The hub 30 has a limited sliding movement in its bearing in the plate 36 and the shaft 31 also has a limited longitudinal movement in the screw 34, the slot 33 being of suflicient length to permit said movement against the tension of a spring 39 that is mounted on the shaft 31. This shaft has .an extension 40 provided with a finger grip 41. The purpose of this construction is to allow the operator 1 bars 42 and applying tension thereto.

to grasp the part 41, ull theshaft 31 outwardly and disengage t e pins or teeth of the feed wheel from the lugs of the actuatin plate. When the teeth of the feed whee have been disengaged from the actuating plate the mechanism can be set to overlap the stitches and thereby avoid the gap at the point between the beginning and end of the stitches. It also allows ofv returning the clamp plates at any point of the button-hole to overlap the stitches in case a thread breaks. As soon as the finger grip 41 is released the spring 39 will return the parts to their normal position. (See Fig. 2.) 42 represents the upper clamp plate and 43 the lower clamp plate. (See Figs. 3 and 6). The lower clamp plate has bars 42' with a space between them adapted to receive depending flanges 43 on the upper clampplate, said bars having outer beveled faces 42 between which and the flanged edge 43 of the upper clamp plate the material is gripped simultaneously therewith. The flanges 43 press on the material between the bars 42 and hold it firmly on the work plate 44, drawing the goods over ghe as Fig. 6.) A plate 44 has a forked end that is loosely connected at 45 to the upper clamp plate, said loose connection allowing the upper clamp plate to set itself squarely on the lower plate and the work plate. The plate 44 is guided by a bracket 46 which projects upwardly from the lower clamp plate and is provided with a compression spring 47 and a cam lever 48, by means of which the forked end of the plate 44 and the upper clamp plate can be forced downwardly to grip the goods. (See Fig. 3.) The work plate, which forms a continuation of the base plate of the attachment, has a roller 49 mounted in its upper surface, parallel and contacting with the under surface of the clamp plate 43. A similar roller 50 is-mounted in the carrier 51 in the base of the attachment and is held with a yielding pressure against the lower clamp plate by means of a spring 52, said carrier having a pin. 53 that is slidable in the base plate 2 and. guided in theplate 54. These rollers provide an anti-friction surface for the free transverse movement of the clamp plates, butresi'st their longitudinal movement, a function of the clamp plates incidental to the formation of the bars at the ends of the button-hole and the width of the buttonhole, as will hereinafter appear.

A plate 55 is adapted to fit against the underside of the base and has slots 56 and 57 therein to receive pins 58 and 59 depending from said base, and said base has a slot 60. in which a screw 61, mounted on said plate 55., is slidable, said screw having a thumb nut 62. Upon loosening this thumb. .nut the-plate 5-5 may be moved lengthwise on theins as and 5.9. 13. iii

' provided with .de ending lugs. 63 having.

curred faces 64. hese lugs are adapted to enter a slot 65 in-a shifterp'late 65', the curved faces of said lugsbearing on the walls of the plateinelosing said opening and forming pivots von Winch the shifterplate and the upper andlower clamp plates I oscillate horizontally. (See Fig. 4 The longitudinal adjustment of the plate 5.5. will obviously change the position of the p vot ofthe shifter, and clamp plates and re late the throw .or travel of the material he d bee tween the clamping faces of said plates. Thus the bight or length of. the stitches may be regulated. The lugs 63 are pressed out of the plate 55, (see F i 13) and form. a

substantial bearing for t e shifter plate to oscillate upon. The curved faces of these lugs form broad, substantial-bearings and -positively define the stroke of the parts.

within certain predetermined limits. Often 'in attachments of this kind considerable trouble is experienced, owing to the variation in the movement of the parts, due to momentum or difference in speed. I have} not only avoided. his objection by prov-ldmg bearings of this kind, butalso cheapen the 1 construction. The shifter plate also has. a longitudinal slot 66 therein, (see F g.4) to receive the slightly curved head on the pin .26, so that when the plate 20 is reciprocated,

the engagement of the pin 26 with the shifter plate will oscillate the clamp plates and the work to form the bight of the stitches his p n 2 has curved a ing- .faces thereon which operate to os'itively limit the oscillation of the shi; ter plate thereon and-prevent any variation in the movement of the parts due to momentum or speed. I regard this form of bearing for the vibrating plates as an important feature of my inventiom Between the'shifter plate and th plate .55 I inte-r'lpose a feed plate 67, having longi- I tudinal slots 68 and 69 therein to receive the projecting ends of the pin 58 and shoulders 59 provided on plate 54, said feed plate being slidable thereon. See Figs. 4 and 15 I This'feed plate has a lug 70 toenter a slot f 71 in the shifter plate, said lug operating to feed the shifter plate forward and back 1 Ward. The feed plate has laterally extend- 3 ing, horizontal arms 72 and 73 connected at (See Fig. 15). E

their outer ends by a bar 74. The arm 73 has a depending finger 75 which i engages the threads of the screw 34 so that E the tension of,.a spring 79. (See Fig. 14.

with the revolution of the screw the feed; plate will be caused to operate the clamp; plates. 3 (See Figs. 2 and 4,.) The plate 35 has a horizontal extension 76 on' which slides 77 and 78 are mounted, be ng held apart b T se slides hav bevel d ends .8 and 81.

- Upwardly projecting lugs 86 and 87 are provided gonthc trip lever 83, extending into the path of the depending lugs 23. (See Figs, 7 and 14). The engagement of the lug 23 with the lug 86 will oscillate the plate 3.5 and the screw carried thereby to shift it and the feed wheel and reversethe direction of movement of the screw. When this shifting takes place the slide 77 will be pushed inwardly, the beveled surface from one side of the pin 82 to the opposite side, the pressure of the slide on the pin normally holding .thescrew against premature movement. The lugs 86 and 87, being carried by the oscillating lever 83, will evidently be in the path of the.actuating lugs 23 alternately, so that when one ofthe depend ng lugs 23 engages an upwardly projecting lug of the tr1p lever 83, the other lug of the trip lever- 83 will be out of the path of the lug 23.

ment is'efiected by the arm 72 engaging a depending lug 88 on the trip lever 83 when the finger 75 has reached one end of the feed screw. The parts will'then assume the positron indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 14, or-

full lines in Fig. 1.

To'sjh-ift .the'lever 83 back to theposition indicated by full lines in Fig. 14 at the oppo- Site end of the button-hole, I provide an arm 89 having guide lugs 89 projecting horizontally beneath the feed plate and adjustable by means of a thumb screw 90 in a slot 91 in said feed plate. The position of this arm in the slot determines the length of the buttonhole, for as soon as the feed plate reaches a j point where the arm will engage the lug 88 of the trip lever, the lever will be thrown to the position indicated by full lines'in Fig. 14

and the plate supporting the feed screw will K be oscillated to reverse the direction of movement of the feed wheel. The feed plate 67 is provided with a. lug 89 and by inserting a button 89 against this.lug the operator of the machine can determine the proper length .of the button-hole for this particular button. (See Figs. 1 and 4).

Referring to Flg. 5, I have shown a means for allowing movement of the clamp plates at the ends of the button-hole to form the bars and regulate the distance between the sides of the button-hole. This means consists in providing lugs 92 on theshifter plate, projecting downwardly into diagonal slots 93 in the lower clamp plate. A set screw 94 carried by the lower clamp plate engages the movement .of the clamp plate on the lugs 92.

; edge of .the shifter plate and regulates the At the end of the button-hole, when the shifter plate is reversed, the lugs of the said late will return in the diagonal slots and orce the clamp plate in tion the desired distance, or-until-the shifter plate strikes the screw 24. This transverse movement of the clamp plate forms the bar at the end of the button-hole directly at right angles to the sides of the button-hole. The length of this bar will depend'uponthe:adjustment of.the screw 94. Obviously, the screw canbe set so-that thesecond row of stitches will be made directly upon the. first row. If, however, suflicient transverse movement of the clamp plate is ermittedga bar will be formed at the end 0 the-button-hole and the return movement will formasecond row of stitches parallel with the first on the opposite-side of-the button-hole. in this transverse movement-of the clamp plate" the anti-frictionrollers 49 and 50 perform their functions,.resisting lengthwise movement of the plate induced by the'action of the lugs 92 against the diagonalsides' of the; slots 93, but allowing-'it'to slide freely, transversely: (See Figs. 3 and" 5). 7

It is'desirable in an attachment of-this kind to provide means for'clamping' it to the bed or base of any style-of sewing-machine. Referring to Fig.- 1-1, 95rep'resents a sewing machine arm,-and'-96'a-threaded rod having a horizontal extension 97 provided with a serrated upper surfaceK98which en? gages the under surface of the 'arm95. The rod 96 fits loosely in asocket 99 provided on the bracket 3, a pin 100= bei'n fvertically movable in a slot- 101 in"said racket and preventing rotation of the threaded rod therein. A nut -102 -is mounted on-the threaded rod and adapted lto fengage the upper walls of the socket and raise the threaded rod until the:ar m-- 97 bears firmly on the underside-of thearm 95. The heads on the screws 103 which secure the combined base plate and work plate to the attachment base form three-point bearings, resting upon the bed of the sewing machine sothatwh'en the nut 102 is tightened sufficiently the attachment will be firmly clamped on the :ma-

chine, the length of thearm 97- allowing-variation in the position of the at achment on the machine bedandthe desire angle'with respect to' the sewing machine armfi The corrugated surface 98 upon the extension 99 of the threaded rod materially aids to'secure the attachment firmly tothe sewing machine without undue pressure on the parts.

'In Fig. 16 I have shown a modified :construction designed to prevent to a largedegree the'sound of the rocker whenit con.- tacts with thelugs' of the slidin plate. In certain portions of the stroke 0 the rocker this :noise is particularly noticeable and I have found that thezconstruction. shown in Fig. 16 eliminatesto aconsiderablesextent a transverse direc-.

this objection. As shown in the figure, 104

is a cam 'slot provided in an arm 105 that is'securedpnthe rock'shaft 4. 1 106 is a pin mounted on a lever 107 that ispivoted at 108 on the frame of the attachment. This pin slides in the slot l04-and,-bearing on the walls thereof, or impetus of plate, Tthus, deadening the sound without affecting the efiicienc of the device. -In the operation o the device, the cloth is-cl'amped between-the u per and lower clamp plates. -As-the nee 1e vibrates, rock shaft 4 is oscillated and the plate 8 moved :in a rectangular ath. The late 15'will'be'moved-u '.and own throug the operation of the p ate 8 and will reciprocate-the plate 20 longitudinally; The rocker connection between the plate 20 and the shifter plate will-cause the oscillation of the shifterplate. The lateral vibration of the clamp lates will position them to form the button ho'le-stitch. The plate 8 is moved in a rectangularlgpath and in turn will-give the feedscrew a'n intermittent rotation:

Said feed screw, through'its connection with the feedplate, will gradually carry the operates to retard the speed the rocker at the point of contact with the projecting lugs on the sliding the clam plates in a (longitudinal direction,

there y spacing the stitches along the edge of thei button-hole. -When the end of the buttori hole is reached, the feed screw will be 'shifted-by=one of thelugs 23 operating in :connection with the lever 83, which has been previously set'in the ath of one=of the lugs by the=cperation o the arm72-or the arm 89. The shifting of the feed-screw will'change the position of the feed wheel so' that the 'lugon the plate 8, which :previously was inoperative to engage the teeth on one side of the wheel, now becomescpera-.

tiveito engage the'teeth 'on the other aside Of-the-Wheel to reverse the direction of movement of the wheel and screw The lateral movement of the clamp plates on the shifter plate: allows for the formation of the-bar at the end of the button-hole, the adjustment of the screw 94 regulating the-number-of the stitches forming the bar.- 'Whenthe bar has been stitched, the .reverse movement-of the feed screw operating in connection with the other mechanism described 'forms a second row of stitches, parallel with the first, to "complete the button-hole. 1

I I claim as my invention:-

1. In fabutton-h 1c attachment'for sewing machines, the combination, with; a clamp plateand a feed plate,- of a slidin member and means for actuating said slid ng member ina-peripheral path, the engagement of said actuating means with said member permitting variation in the stroke of said means to adopt the attachment for sewing m'achines of varying stroke; j I -'2.-'In a button-hole attachment'for sewing iso.

' said feed plate from said feed screw.

machines, the combination,- with a clamp wit sai plate allowing variation in the, stroke of said means to adapt the-attachment for sewing machines of varying stroke,

and means carried by said plate for engaging and intermittently rotatingsaid feed screw.. a

3. In a button-hole attachment for sewing machines, the combination, withla clam-p plate and a feed plate, of a rock shaft,a

rocker secured onsaid shaft and having, arms projecting therefrom, a sliding plate having means in the path of said arms and. movin in the outline of a rectangle, said arms uring the latter part of their stroke being adapted to 1pass by said means, whereby variation in t e stroke of said rocker is permitted, a guide for said sliding plate, and a feed screw operated by said sliding plate and connected with said feed plate. i 4. In a button-hole attachment forsewing machines, the combination, with a clamp plate and a feed plate, of a slidingmember and means for actuating said sliding member in a circumscribed rectangular i path, means operating to prevent the centering of said sliding member with-respect to said actuating means.

5. In a button-hole attachment for sewing machines, the combination, with a clamp plate and a feed late, of a stationary plate having a 'recess t erein and a fixed. pin centrally arranged in said recess, a sliding plate and means for actuating it in a circumscribed rectangular path, the outline of said recess conforming to the path described by said sliding plate, said sliding plate having a lug projecting'into said recess whereby the centering'of said sliding plate with respect to said actuating means will be prevented, a feed screw, means for intermittently rotating said feed screw, and means actuating "6. The combination, with a feed plate and a clamp plate, of a feed screw, means operatively connecting said screw with said feed plate, a feed wheel having means .for connection with said feed screw, means for operating said feed wheel to revolve said screw, means for normally holding said feed wheel in engagement with said operating means, and means for temporarily withdrawin said feed wheel from engagement with said operating means, 3

7. The combinatiomqwith a clamp plate and a feed plate, of a feed wheel operatively connected with said feed plate, a member provided with a tooth on each side of the center of said wheel and having alternate setting and working strokes,'said teeth moving alternately during the setting strokes i into working position upon opposite sides of the center of said wheel to engage and revolve it in one direction during t e working strokes, means for actuating said mom: her, and means for temporarily separating said teeth and wheel to permit the re-setting of said clamp plate at any point on the button-hole.

' 8. The combination, with a clamp plate and a feed plate, of a feed wheel operatively connected with said'feed plate, means movable in an indirect path and having teeth upon opposite sides of the center of said 'wheel, said teeth engaging said wheel alternately to impart an intermittent revolving movement thereto, a tooth on one side of the center of said wheel being in position to engage and operate said wheel while a corresponding tooth on the other side of the center of said wheel is in an inoperative position, means for imparting a continuous movement to said movable means, means for shifting said 'feed wheel with respect to the teeth of said movable means to reverse the position of their engagement therewith and thereby reverse the direction of movement of said wheel, and means for temporarily disconnecting said feed wheel from said movable means to permit the resetting of said clamp plate at any point on the button-hole.v g

. 9. The combination, with a feed plate and a clamp plate, of a feed screw, means operatively connectin said screw with said feed plate, a feed-w eel having a sliding connection with said feed screw, means for op erating said feed wheel to revolve said screw, a spring normally holding said feed wheel in engagement with said operating.

means, and means for temporarily withdrawing said feed wheel from engagement with said operating means against the te'nsion of said spring.

10. The combination, with a clamp plate and a feed plate, of a feed screw, means operatively connecting said feed screw with screw, a feed wheel secured on said shaft and having a sliding connection with said screw, said sliding connection allowing the independent sliding movement of said feed wheel but causing the simultaneous rotation of said feed wheel and'said screw, means for actuating said feed wheel to operate said screw, said shaft having a fin er grip and being capable of longitudina movesaid feed plate, a shaft fitting within said ment with said feed wheel to retract said wheel out of engagement with said operating means.

- 11. The'combination, with va clamp plate and a feed plate, of a feed screw, means operatively connectin said feed plate, a s aft. slidable lengthwise in said feed screw, a feed wheel mounted said feed screw with a on said shaft and having means projectin into a slot in said screw, whereby said whee and-screw will revolve simultaneously and said wheel will have a sliding movement with said shaft independently of said screw, means for actuating said wheel to revolve said screw, the longitudinal movement of said shaft allowing said wheel to be retracted from said actuating means, and a spring normally holding said wheel in engagement with said actuating means.

12. In a button-hole machine, the combination, with a clamp plate and a feed plate, of a sliding member and means for actuating said sliding member in a peripheral path, said sliding member completing its cycle during every two rcciprocations of the needle, afeed screw operatively connected with said feed plate for actuating said clamp pllate, means for operating said feed screw om said slidingmember, and means for temporarily Withdrawing said feed screw from operative connection with srii sliding member, for the purpose speci- 13.- The combination, with a plate having lugs thereon provided with comparatively long bearing surfaces, of a shifter plate arranged to oscillate on said bearing surfaces, a vibrating clamp plate carried by said shifter plate, said bearing surfaces having end portions operating. as stops to limit the degree of oscillation of said shifter plate vand. prevent overthrow of' said vibrating clamp plate.

14. The combination, with a base, 'of a plate slidably mounted thereon, lugs car-- curved bear-- ate having an lugs, thewalls of the curved surfaces of said lugs and rocking thereon, a vibrating clamp plate carried by said shifter plate, the edges of said lugs limiting the stroke of said shifter plate and preventing over vibration of said clamp plate.

15. The combination, with a vibrating clamp plate and an oscillating shifter plate having a ing p ate having lu'gs formed thereon, and means for operating said sliding plate, a reciprocating plate having slots to receive ried by said plate and havin 'ing surfaces, an oscillating p opening to receive said said lugs and actuated thereby, a pin car-.

.ried by said reciprocating plate, said in being adapted to enter the slot in said shi er. plate andprovided withbearing faces, the end portions of said faces operating to prevent the overthrow of said clamp plate and 1 a feed plate, and a shifter the consequent variation in its vibration;

16. The combination, with a base, of a late slidably mounted thereon and having u s his having bearing surfaces, having a bearing on said lugs and guided thereby, a clamp plate vibrated by said longitudinal slot therein, of a slid-.

pressed or punched therefrom, saidv a shifter plate plate, movement shifter plate, the surfaces of said lugs allowing the oscillation of said shifter plate thereon but preventing the overthrow of said clamp plate and means for operating said shifter plate.

17. The combination, with a base, of a feed plate and means. for actuating the same, lugs having curved bearing surfaces, a shifter plate, said feed plate and said shifter plate having openings therein to receive said lugs, said shifter plate oscillating on the curved surfaces of sa1d lugs and forming the bight of the stitches, means for operating said shifter plate and a clamp plate connected with said shifter plate.

18. The combination, with a clamp plate and a feed plate, of a feed screw, a pivoted plate wherein said feed screw is mounted, means for revolving said feed screw, means for operating said feed plate from said screw, slides mounted on said pivoted, plate and having beveled surfaces, 2. spring hold- ,ing said slides apart, a pin in the path of the beveled surface of one of said slides, a trip lever having means to engage the beveled surface of the other slide, means connected 1 with said feed plate for operating said trip lever, and means for plate to change the of said screw.-

19. The combination, with a base anda bracket'mounted thereon, of. a plate pivoted on said bracket and depending therefrom, a tongue pressed or punched from said plate, means having a slot to receive the end of said tongue and limit the oscillation of said plate, a feed screw having bearings in said plate and in said tongue, means for revolving said'screw a feed plate operatively connected with said screw, a clamp plate, means for normally holding said pivoted plate at the limit of its oscillation-in either direction, and means for shifting said plate to change the direction of revolution of said screw.

20. The combination, with a feed plate oscillating said pivoted direction of revolution and an oscillating shifter plate mounted thereon and means for operating said feed plate and shifter plate, of a clamp plate provided with diagonal slots,

plate having lugs to enter said slots, said clamp plate having a limited movement on said lugs, means for limiting the extent of such movement, and antiriction rollers contacting with said clamp plate and resisting longitudinal movement thereof but faplate and means for'actuating said feed p ate and shifter plate, said shifter plate havin to enter diagonal slots in sai of anti-friction bearings lugs ada ted clamp ate, for said c amp said shifter .cihtatin transverse movement of said clamp ate,

21.- he combination, with a clamp plate,

said bearings resisting longitudinal of said clamp plate but permitthe lugs of said shifter plate allowing a transverse movement of said clamp plate,

and means carried by said clamp plate and engaging said shifter plate for regulating the degree of said movement, and thereby the length of the bar at the end of the button-hole.

22. The combination, with a clamp plate and means for vibrating it, of a feeding means comprising a feed screw, a pivoted frame whereon said feed screw is mounted, a trip lever pivoted upon said frame, means for oscillating said trip lever in opposite directions. past a dead center, means engaging the said trip lever for shifting the said pivoted frame, and a spring tensioned to move the said trip lever and the said pivoted frame in either direction after having passed the dead center.

23. The combination, with a clamp plate and a feed plate, of a feed screw, means operatively connecting said feed screw with said feed plate, means for operating said feed screw, means for shifting said feed screw to change its direction of revolution, a trip lever controlling the operation of said shifting means, an adjustable arm carried by said feed plate and adapted to engage said trip lever to operate the same, said feed plate havinga slot wherein said arm is slidable, the osition of said arm in said slot determining the length of the buttonhole, and said slot being adapted to receive a button between one end wall thereof and said arm, whereby the length of the button-' hole can be proportioned'to the size ofthe button.

24. The combination, with a sewing machine arm, of a button-hole attachment having a base provided with a three-point bearing adapted to rest on the sewing machine table, an upright threaded rod mounted in said base and having means preventing rotation therein, means mounted on said rod and engaging said base to raise and lower said rod, said rod having a horizontal arm at its upper end that is adapted to bear on the sewing machine arm, forv the purpose specified.

25. The combination, with a sewing machine arm, of a button-hole attachment having a base adapted to rest on the sewing machine table and provided with a vertical socket therein, a threaded rod fitting within said socket and having means preventing rotation therein, a nut mounted on said rod and engaging the walls of said socket to raise and lower said rod when said nut is revolved, said rod having a horizontal arm at its upper end that is adapted to extend under said sewing machine arm and bear thereon, for the purpose specified.

26. The combination, with a clamp plate, of a feed screw, means operatively connecting said feed screw with said clamp plate, means for shifting said feed screw to change the direction ofrevolution, a tri lever controlling the operation of said shi ting means, an arm arranged to engage and operate said trip lever, said arm being movable toward and from a fixed wall between which and said arm a button may be inserted, whereby the position of said arm may be determined to trip said lever at a predetermined point and proportion the length of the buttonhole to the size of the button.

27. In a button-hole attachment for sewing machines, the combination, with a clamp plate and a feed plate, of a vibrating member operating in a peripheral path, and means having arms thereon for actuating said member, the engagement of the arms of said actuating'means with said member allowing a variation in the stroke of said means, for the purpose specified.

28. In a button-hole attachment for sewing machines, the combination, with a clamp plate and a feed plate, of a feed screw operatively connected with said feed plate, an

operating member having a peripheral path for said feed screw, means having arms for vibrating said operating member, the engagement of said arms with said'member allowing variation in the stroke of said means to adapt the attachment for sewing machines of varying stroke, and means for engaging and intermittently rotating sald feed screw.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of November, 1911.

JAMES JESSEN.

. .Witne'sses: A

GENEVIEVE E. SORENSEN, RICHARD. PAUL. 

